Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has warned critics against using the Ibom Deep Sea project as a political tool, assuring that the project would materialize in due time.
Recall that the initiative for the development of Ibom deep seaport begun 20 years ago and is yet to be fully realized.
Speaking while receiving the project’s feasibility report from the Technical Committee at Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo, on Wednesday, the Governor highlighted the measures taken for the actualization of the port to include: funding a full feasibility study, preparing investor fact sheets, constructing access roads, conducting geophysical and geotechnical studies, and establishing a project office in the State.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Hon Aniekan Umana on Thursday, Governor Eno urged the Committee to actively engage investors and the people adding, “If we succeed with this project, Akwa Ibom wins.”
He also directed the Commissioner for Special Duties to develop training initiatives for youths, ensuring that human capital needs are met and a skilled workforce is available for the construction phase and beyond.
His words, “I commend the past leaders who laid the foundation for the project including former governor Victor Attah, Senate President and former governor Godswill Akpabio and the immediate past governor Udom Emmanuel.
“I want to appeal that we should stop politicizing the project, deep seaport development is not a sprint but a marathon.”
Earlier in her presentation, Mrs. Mfon Usoro, the committee chairman and former Director General of NIMASA, said the project which was designed for a Public-Private arrangement would drive economic growth, expand Nigeria’s port capacity, and improve ease of doing business.
As a Free Trade Zone, Usoro said the project would become a major transshipment hub in Niger Delta region highlighting the milestones already achieved.
